When you are out shopping for a goalkeeper youth jersey as a parent you are going to see a lot of options on the market. It can get overwhelming because the price tag on each option can vary immensely. You can look at something for 20 dollars, and then jump to the next page to see that there is another option at over 100 dollars. A lot of times the difference isn’t even in the cloth itself. The thing is one jersey is from a particular team and you can put your name on the back of it. I’m not saying there’s no value to that. It’s just that you have to figure out why you want to buy these jerseys in the first place. What are you going to be using it for?
As your buying equipment in general it’s really important to take into account where it is that you’re going to be traying or playing most of the time. In the old days my parents would send me out there with short shorts, and to be honest as a kid you don’t think too much of it times. Particularly if the field is ok. If the field is a dump though, a short sleeve goalkeeper youth jersey may not be the best option. As would be the case with the short shorts. Pants, and a longsleeve jersey may be the better outfit choice. What I want to go over are the options that are going to be available. While sprinkling in what’s going to alter the price tag on some of these items. So that you can figure what you probably want to be buying moving forward.
Goalkeeper Youth Jersey – Long Sleeve or Short Sleeve
This is potentially the first decision that you’re going to have to make. Essentially there’s going to come a point where you’re going to have both to be honest. If you had like a starters kit though, and you where going out here to buy the first jersey, longsleeve is going to be the way to go. The simple reason for this is that you are looking for better protection. Kids who usually want to play in goal aren’t going to be too concerned with some of the bumps and bruises that go along with playing the position. If you can limit some of the damage it’s always going to be a good thing so for your first goalkeeper youth jersey longsleeves should be the way to go.
Plenty of parents may gravitate to the short sleeve jersey. With the idea that it’s maybe too hot where you live. That’s an understandable train of thought. As I mentioned before there’s probably going to be a point where you end up with multiple jerseys from the different teams that you are on and things like that. It’s a good idea though to kids used to the longsleeve jerseys. Even in really hot climate. At the end of the day that’s potentially what you’re going to wear most of the time throughout your career.
Will They Grow Into It?
I totally understand that as a parent you want to make sure that you can maximize your resources. Not everyone is going to have an unlimited amount of money to buy goalkeeper gear. That being said, if you can buy a goalkeeper youth jersey that fits your child at this particular moment in time that’s probably ideal. The reason why I don’t love the idea of asking kids to grow into this type of gear is that you’re not getting the protections on the elbows to cover the right spots. So, it ultimately doesn’t even make too much sense to buy a goalkeeper youth jersey if you’re going to do that. Just send them out with a long sleeve t shirt then that’s maybe too old to take out on the town.
Again, I’m not saying this to try and offend anyone. It’s just that there’s no gurantee even that the jersey is going to be in wearable conditions by the time that your kids grows into it. Most of these true goalkeeper jerseys are made from durable cloth. Still, if you try hard enough on the field, and if you don’t use a powerful detergent they can wear down considerably. In the amount of time that it typically takes a kid to outgrow the jersey. On top of that, you have no idea if your kid is going to want to continue in goal after this season. Don’t plan ahead too much!
How Long Can You Expect Them To Last?
Can you expect a goalkeeper jersey to be durable enough for kids to grow into them? I’ve had mixed experiences with this situation. I want to remind people that I’ve also crossed eras as a goalkeeper. What I mean by that is, the type of gear that I wore growing up isn’t made from the same type of fabric that we have now. I have jerseys and pants from 15 years ago that I can still trot out on the field with. Ironically some of the newer jesreys that I bought look more worn out than some of the old ones that I still keep.
It all comes down to the type of fabric that the jersey is made out of. Also, you have to account for the number of times that your kid is going to use the jersey. To top it all off, I would say where they typically play also plays a big role in all of this. A goalkeeper youth jersey is going to tear up quicker if you are playing in dirt field, and hard turf. Compared to what would happen if you always played in the softest green grass that you can imagine. Go into the season or year with one maybe 2 goalkeeper youth jerseys. Reevaluate them for next season, and go from there.
Goalkeeper Youth Jersey Premium Brands
With goalkeeper gear in general you’re going to find an extended price range for items that essentially are the same thing. When you’re a parent that isn’t necessarily familiar with the goalkeeping world it’s normal to gravitate towards Nike or Adidas. Since they are going to be brands that you recognize more than Reusch, Uhlsport, or any of the other brands out there. That could see you buy a goalkeeper youth jersey that really doesn’t offer over the top benefits when compared to what’s out there from other brands. Yet, you’ll be paying top dollar for it. Is that really going to be worth it? That depends!
Maybe your kid got into goalkeeping because they are major of Ter Stegen. So if you have the money to go out and buy an official Barcelona Marc Andre Ter Stegen jersey for your kid that’s awesome! There’s no question that they are potentially going to be more excited to get that gift than they would be to receive a generic jersey for training. That last part of the statement though is key. What are you going to buy the jersey for? I’ve been a goalkeeper nut for my whole life. So, the Gigi Buffon jersey that I have from the World Cup in 2006 is one of my prized possessions in life. I wasn’t going to be wearing that to goalkeeper training in El Salvador though!
Do You Even Have To Buy A Pro Goalkeeper Jersey?
Some parents are probably going to think that their kids are going to be ok with a long sleeve shirt. Practically just any long sleeve shirt is going to do. If you think that way you’re not wrong at all. Also, I’m not going to be judging anyone’s budget. It is entirely possible that goalkeeping will turn out to be a phase that your kid is going to grow out of. That being said, an actual goalkeeper youth jersey isn’t necessarily only going to give your kid better protection. It also allows them to get a good feel of what it’s really like to be in goal. You don’t want to be wearing heavy clothes that are holding you back a bit. It can make for an uncomfortable experience.
There’s actually an argument to be made that in the last few years Addidas and Nike, the two brands that I referenced earlier aren’t really putting a lot of effort into creating goalkeeper equipment. What’s the main differance between buying those goalkeeper jerseys, and potentially any other type of fitness long sleeve shirt that they may be selling? The true answer, at least for a couple of years now, is not much! If you’re someone who is not very familiar with the goalkeeping world it could be a good idea to take a deep dive into what renowned goalkeeper brands offer.
Best Places To Buy
The advice that I’m going to give here is going to be super counterintuitive. I’m the type of person that likes to try things on before I buy them. With clothes in general you have to get a sense for the type of fabric that is used in them. When it comes to a goalkeeper youth jersey the actual fit is super important. I mentioned that you really don’t want to have your kids grow into the gear. All that time that they spend using a jersey before they grow into they won’t be getting the benefit of the protections at all. Still, at least in the United States the best places to buy goalkeeper gear are all online. That won’t be the case for most other countries in the world.
In my native Mexico you can go to a speciality store that sells goalkeeper gear or football gear in general and try your jersey on right there. Also, in many countries where the beautiful game is almost a national sport, you’ll have local brands that you can chose from. Which typically can offer prices on their items that are much lower than what you would get from some of the more popular brand names. In the United States soccer.com is a great place to buy goalkeeper gear online. They used to send me a magazine on monthly basis just for goalkeepers. That generated plenty of sales for them from my household over the years for sure!
Goalkeeper Youth Jersey – Conclusion
When buying a goalkeeper youth jersey the first thing that you need to account for is what you’re going to be using the outfit for. I mentioned that as a gift getting a jersey from your favorite or goalkeeper is great. That may not necessarily be the jersey that you’re going to be wearing for training on a daily basis. Where you play is certainly another one of the factors that you are going to want to consider. Essentially any shirt that is a different color than what your team wears can serve as a goalkeeper jersey. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you should stick to that. There are certainly ways to get a jersey on a budget. That being said, this is going to be a task that is easier in some countries than it is in others.
The main thing that you should be looking for in a goalkeeper jersey that you want your child to use to play the game is a comfortable fit. It doesn’t have to be too tight anywhere. Ideally though, the elbow pads if it features some should actually cover the elbows. That’s why allowing your kids to “grow into” their goalkeeper gear isn’t a great idea. I understand that you want to make the most of the clothes that you buy. The thing is that goalkeeper gear isn’t just something that you wear as you would any old T-shirt and jeans. There’s a purpose behind the type of gear that you wear and why. It’s a good idea to keep your kids’ safety in mind when buying them a goalkeeper youth jersey. Ideally it’ll fit them just right! There are certainly a ton of options out there to look into.
